At the time of writing the gaming community at large seems to be divided into two distinct groups when it comes to Titanfall: the naysayers and the Call of Duty fans looking to follow their heroes onto new ground. Both are reflecting on their previous experiences at the hands of Infinity Ward and both are bringing to the equation an assessment of a videogame which is no longer related to a franchise they have judged time and again. This isn’t Infinity Ward; this is Titanfall, and in that both opinions will undoubtedly change when they finally manage to get hands-on.

You might well consider Titanfall to have the same ethos as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – after all, this is an all-out action affair – but beyond that it’s most certainly a very different proposition. Titanfall is a videogame designed with the shackles most certainly thrown down and freedom to innovate having come from years worth of proof. Titanfall would never have happened without Call of Duty, but then every AAA budget has to come from somewhere.

Titanfall is most certainly AAA. It’s a high speed, no-nonsense, highly competitive experience that starts the player off as a skilled combatant and only builds upon this. Moving around the large maps as a highly mobile military operative the player has the opportunity to sprint, double jump, wall run and more as they move between tight concrete corridors and vast open spaces, all the while waiting for that magic Titanfall counter to hit zero. Waiting, or sometimes taking the advantage by playing more aggressively. Titans can be called into play in a similar fashion to the underrated Section 8 series’ many opportunistic drops, but every kill scored on the battlefield will not vital seconds from the time delay until your next drop opportunity.

Mounting a Titan is both fun and chaotic, as while you’re now in control of the battlefield you’re also the greatest target any player could hope for. You have obvious vulnerabilities and your lack of mobility in enclosed spaces will often be your downfall. This opportunity must not be wasted as the vast firepower at your disposal is often enough to turn the tide of everything from a single encounter to an entire objective challenge.

Beyond all of this however, there is a singular moment in which Titanfall truly entertains more than others. When you fail hardest you receive the biggest opportunity, as the Titans feature an eject button that will see you soaring through the sky: able to enact revenge on those who vanquished your hulking mechanical beast, but only if you’re quick to examine and precise in your aim. Precision is one thing that Titanfall looks to specialise in, and this is precisely why it’s the one reason you need an Xbox One in 2014.